My Window to the World free essay sample

I do not have weekly press conferences and I have never experienced paparazzi. I do not have my own column in a national newspaper and I do not have a forty minute segment on the news. But, I have a window. It is not much, but it is my window. I remember the first time I wrote on it. It was just a simple, â€Å"Hi Dad!† but every time he came home, he saw the message and smiled. One day, a woman stopped me while I was outside and asked me if I had written that; I said yes, and she smiled. She told me that it made her happy when children loved their parents the way I love my Dad. That’s when it dawned on me: the things I wrote on my window were seen by everyone who went by, and my words made a difference. Even if it was just a smile on a stranger’s face, my words had created that smile. We will write a custom essay sample on My Window to the World or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page About a month later my neighbor, Tony, was deployed to Iraq. It was strange for me to have someone so close to home leave for the war. I remember wishing there was something I could do to at least let him know he was in our thoughts and prayers. So that is just what I did, I erased the greeting for my Father, and replaced it with a large yellow ribbon. I knew it was not much, but it made me feel better. Even if just one person drove by my house and said a little prayer for the troops, it made a difference. My window has evolved into my message board for the world. Some days it is just the simple word, â€Å"believe,† others it is an awareness ribbon, and still others it is a quote I find intriguing. There is something incredible about knowing that someone is reading my words everyday, and even if they just glance, even if they do not think twice about themmy ideas are out there. It does not matter if storms come and beat on the outside of the window, my words are protected. It does not matter if people disagree with what I have written and roll their eyes, my words are my words, and that is that. My window has shaped my life, just by simply holding my words with pride. On bad days, I come home and throw my belongings on my floor, but just before I start to feel ungrateful, I see the pink ribbon drawn on my window. Just like that, I am reminded that somebody out there has bigger issues than my own, somebody out there is in the fourth month of their last six, somebody is struggling, and yet, here I amfeeling angry because a boy had ignored me. The window is not only a message board from me to the world, but it is a message board from the world to me. Everyday it reminds me of the events I feel most strongly about. It is a daily reminder of who I am, and what I believe in. I am only seventeen, and I know that I have a lot more learning to do, but I also know that I can make a difference. I want to be a constitutional attorney so that my voice will continue to be heard. I want to touch peoples’ lives and have my words continue to make a difference. I think my little window on Zinfandel Avenue was a good start, but I have no intentions of letting that be the last the world ever hears from me.

Watchmen and Chapter Essays

Watchmen and Chapter Essays Watchmen and Chapter Paper Watchmen and Chapter Paper Essay Topic: Watchmen In Alan Moores The Watchmen, Moore presents the reader with two drastically different characters who have one strikingly similar trait. Ozymandias is a handsome, rich, public, and powerful man. Rorschach is an ugly, poor, private, and almost worthless man. Despite all of these contrasts, they share a common philosophy: they believe that the ends justify the means. This is a major theme of the story, and through it Moore causes the reader the ask themselves the question do the ends justify the means? Before looking at the concept of the ends justifying the means, it is important to understand just how different the characters of Rorschach and Ozymandias are from each other. Rorschach is strongly right wing, even to the point of fascism. He believes that the whole world stands on the brink, starring down into bloody hell, all the liberals and intellectuals and smooth-talkersA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦(Volume 1 page 1) Rorschach is also an ardent subscriber to the New Frontiersman, a right-wing conspiracy magazine. Ozymandias is an extremely rich philanthropist, who once gave his entire fortune to charity. Ozymandias was the first of all the super heroes to go public, two years before heroes were required to unmask themselves by law. Rorschach never went public, choosing to live as an outlaw rather than give up his identity. Ozymandias is considered by many to be the most handsome man in the world, while Rorschach is an ugly man who does not even bathe on a regular basis. Ozymandias runs an international conglomerate, while Rorschach does not have enough money to pay his rent. These differences present the reader with two extremely different characters, their only similarities being their staunch belief that the ends justify the means. Moore presents the reader with an early visual clue to the similar natures of Ozymandias and Rorschach in chapter five, titled Fearful Symmetry. Every page of this chapter has a parallel page in the other side of the chapter. For example, pages one, two and three are nine panel pages concerning Rorschach, as is the last page, page twenty-eight, and pages twenty-seven and twenty-six. Page four has one panel the width of the page to begin with, which is then followed by six smaller panels, as does page twenty-five. These pages concern the confrontation between Rorschach and Moloch. Page twenty-five also has the one larger panel at the top, followed by six smaller panels, and this page also concerns Rorschach and Moloch. This mirror-like pattern continues until the center of the comic. While there are other characters in this chapter (Dan and Laurie, the newspaper salesman, and the two policemen), the two characters who receive the most focus in this chapter are Rorschach and Ozymandias. Even the title of this chapter is meant to cause the reader to think about the nature of Rorschach and Ozymandias. The title Fearful Symmetry comes from The Tyger by William Blake. This classic poem and its partner, The Lamb, are two poems about the nature and duality of life. While the tyger may be a predator and the lamb its prey they are both concerned about where they came from. This is a direct parallel to events taking place in The Watchmen, where although Rorschach and Ozymandias may be almost total opposites, they are both attempting to perform acts which will they believe will improve humanity. Moore hints to the reader that Rorschach believes that the ends justify the means on the very first page, when Rorschach uses his journal to tell the reader that he thinks that the people had a choice, all of them. They could have followed in the footsteps of good men like my father or president Truman. Decent men, who believed in a days work for a days pay. (Volume 1, page 1) While Truman may have had many great accomplishments, his most famous decision was to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is a real world example of the concept of whether the ends justify the means. Truman would be an obvious hero to Rorschach, as he showed that he was not afraid to make tough decisions for the good of his people. After the death of the Comedian, Rorschach enters an underworld bar to attempt to find answers as to who may have killed the Comedian. He breaks the fingers of the first man who insults him, and continues to break his fingers, until one of the patrons tells him what he wants to know. While its quite possible that this man had committed crimes in the past, Rorschach knew that the he had not killed the Comedian; however, he had no problems in breaking the mans fingers, if it would lead to more information about the true killer. The fact that Rorschach is willing to physically assault and threaten Moloch, a seventy year old man, once again shows the reader that Rorschach will do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. It appears likely that Moloch would have told him all he needed to know simply on the fear of what Rorschach might do to him. In chapter six, the reader begins to see what has led Rorschach to take his hard line stance. Originally Rorschach just thought I was Rorschach.. Very naive. Very young. Very soft. (Volume 6, page 14) When asked what it was that made him soft, he replies let them live. (Volume 6, page 14) By allowing the criminals to live, Rorschach leaves a chance that they may recommit their crimes. However, by killing the criminals, there is obviously no chance that the criminal will re-offend, thus justifying his actions. Referring to his harsh actions, Rorschach says that we do not do this thing because it is permitted. We do it because we have to. We do it because we are compelled. While he does not elaborate on what it is, we can assume that it is the war that he is carrying on against criminals. Rorschach believes that he is compelled go to the extremes, and for him there is not even a conscious decision, it is simply something that he knows must be done. Later on in this chapter, we are shown the horrific sequence of events that led to the creation of Rorschachs attitude and motivation. After the shock of realizing that the six year old girl he had come to rescue had been brutally murdered, Rorschach changes the path that his life will take. He will no longer be content to react, but will now be a proactive force in the fight against evil. If, by this stance, he is required to break the law, and hurt innocent men, he is willing to do it. In chapter twelve, when faced with impossible odds, we see the lengths that Rorschach is willing to go to for his stance. When told by Night Owl that We have to compromiseA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦, (Volume 12, page 20) his response is No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise. (Volume 12, page 20) A short time after this, he is killed for his no compromise stance. While Moore shows the reader Rorschachs belief that the ends justify the means through a series of small events, the reader is shown Ozymandiass belief in this principle through one horrific, gigantic act. The reader is given the first hint as to what Ozymandias may be planning in chapter two. In this chapter, the reader is shown the attempted formation of a new group of super heroes, called the Crimebusters. The Comedian says that the problems facing America are much too big for a small group of heroes to handle, and then begins to burn the map of the United States. He states that It dont matter squat because inside thirty years the nukes are gonna be flyin like maybugs and then Ozzy here is gonna be the smartest man on the cinder. (Volume 2, page 11) After this the group begins to disband, Captain Metropolis becomes very upset, saying that Somebody has to do it, dont you see? Somebody has to save the worldA? ‚Â ¬AÂ ¦(Volume 2, page 11) At the same time that he is saying this, the reader is shown an image of Ozymandias staring at the torn map of the United States. Moore is using foreshadowing in this scene to show that Ozymandias will attempt to save the world. Moore shows the reader more of Ozymandiass actions, and the motives for them in chapter twelve. Ozymandias begins to tell his life story to three men that work with him. He explains that there was only one man throughout h istory with which he has felt any sort of kinship. This man was Alexander of Macedonia, a young army commander who, at the time of his death, was the ruler of most of the civilized world. Ozymandias is in awe of the fact that he could rule without barbarism, mentioning that he installed the worlds greatest seat of learning. He then hints as to his attitude when he says True, people diedA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦ perhaps unnecessarily, though who can judge such things? (Volume 11, page 8) This shows the reader that Ozymandias believes that acts of that magnitude can not be judged. Ozymandias states that on his trip to Alexanders hometown that I resolved to apply antiquitys teachings to todays world. Thus began my path to conquestA? a‚Â ¬AÂ ¦ conquest not of men, but of the evils that beset them. (Volume 11, page 11) This statement hints to the reader what kind of action Ozymandias might take, and what it is that he is trying to do. One important thing to remember when considering Ozymandiass actions, is that not even he was sure that there would be a nuclear war. He says that he thought the possibility of disarmament progressively more remote. (Volume 11, page 21) While he may have felt that it was remote, he did not know that it would be impossible. In chapter eleven, the reader is finally shown the true nature of Ozymandiass plan. He says that his goal is to frighten governments into co-operation, I would convince them that earth faced imminent attack by beings from another world. (Volume 11, page 25) Within the next few pages, he reveals his massiv e plan which is to teleport an alien like creature to New York, which will kill half of the people living there. While ultimately this did work, there is no denying that he used a terrible means to achieve his ends. Throughout the Watchmen the reader is presented with many different characters. The characters of Rorschach and Ozymandias have a manichaean relationship. The line between good and evil has been blurred with these two characters: it is unclear to the reader which of the two is good, and which is evil. One is rich, liberal, and handsome. The other is poor, conservative, and ugly. However, despite all of their differences, these characters share a common philosophy: they believe the ends justifies the means.

A Sudden Silence By Eve Bunting English Literature Essay

A Sudden Silence By Eve Bunting English Literature Essay A Sudden Silence By Eve Bunting Eve Bunting, born in the small village of Maghera in Northern Ireland, 1928, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. She has won several awards. She went to school in Northern Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, â€Å"There used to be Shanachiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanachie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.† This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work. In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting’s f irst published story, Two Giants, focused an Irish folktale about Finn McCool who out smarted Culcullan, a terrible Scottish giant. The first published work gave Bunting confidence and passion to pursue a writing career. explanation: ‘A sudden silence’ is a good title for this story because they don’t know who Bry has killed. And so this is a sudden silence. Place: I have no idea in which place this story is set. Because, they don’t tell it in the book. Time: This story can be set in any time, they don’t tell it. ‘It was Saturday the 20th of June at 11.30 P.M.’ The time that is covered in the story is like two months. Because it all happens very quickly. I can’t quote from the book. Main characters: Jesse: He’s the main character of the book. His personality is: he is shy but he is quick irritated. I don’t know how he looks. Jesse doesn’t change in the book. Bry: He is the brother of Jesse and he is killed by a car accident. He is deaf and I don’t know how he looks. He can’t change because he dies in the beginning of the book. Plot: Bry and Jesse are walking home from a party of Wilson Eichler. They’re walking along the highway, against the traffic, so they can see if there a car was coming. After a while, they crossed over the highway, because they were almost home. There was no traffic on the highway, but then a car came out of nowhere. Jesse dived into the bank and he yelled to Bry, that he has to jump too, but he can’t hear him. Bry is deaf. The car hit him. First, Jesse thought that the car stopped, but it didn’t, he rode on. Bry was dead. Sirens were coming. Shortly after that, a policeman asked Jesse questions about the accident. But Jesse forgot everything. Nobody was going to bed that night. Jesse’s dad called the family: the grandparents, aunt Lila and uncle Fred.

Democracy and Reason Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Democracy and Reason - Essay Example Though the liberal democratic philosophy has always been supported from a wide assortment of philosophical quarters, realizing liberal democracy in terms of joint rational practice of community in politics has various attractive features. One attractive feature is being a perspective that comes across with the hunch so extensively introduced at the parturition of liberalism i.e. the intuition that the belief in the morals of liberal democracy and reason are not simply historically related but are linked logically in some cardinal ways. Moreover, the philosophy of logical or rational practice appears sufficiently capacious and complex to institute the whole array of values and norms present in liberalism such as equality, liberty, toleration, participation, community and rights instead of singling out and raising one of these values at the cost of rest of others. Thus there lies a possibility that liberal democratic theory can be grounded on a philosophically practicable construct of rational practice, thereby accommodating the interests of the communitarians with the best part of skeptical utilitarian as well as deontological variants of liberalism. The inclination of neo-Platonist to logically explain rationality has endured with full force in the twentieth century. It manifested not only by the widespread utilization of the term logical as a synonym for rational, but also in the propensity to interpret scientific question as applied logic and to construe languages as fallible logical calculi. This excessively idealized and constrained explanation of rationality has gained individuals by inducing the tremendously productive and significant mathematical constituents of science and by prodding all disciplines towards superior clarity and rigor. However it had various unfortunate consequences. It has impaired individuals with polarized lenses in our percepts of language and science, sorting the elements of linguist and scientific rationality that fail to fit in t he confines of rationality. And this application of excessively strict criteria for inclusion has lead to an ever-shrinking band of reason that has pushed progressively extensive domains of human practice and cognition into an unstructured slag heap of purportedly irrational phenomena. Most profound consequences are the distortion of any passable understanding of the significant and genuine function of rationality in Politics. That’s why it is quite essential for present-day political philosophy to discern that the last few decades have messed substantial improvements and alterations in the domains of philosophy that have straight impact upon the discernment of human reason. These modern philosophies were based on such assumptions that seemed to bring forth a pattern of vibrations among the neo-Kantian and utilitarian theories as each of them were not able to tackle the circumstances and situation in an adequate manner. Thus the deadlock existed in the discernment of practica l reason seemed to converge with the ethical quandary of liberal democratic theory converge at this point. The authority of the conniving model of reason has constructed a theory of combined prudence unmanageable if not inconceivable. But the most plausible and attractive way of justifying and understanding the liberal democratic exercises is to interpret them as an effort to substantiate the norms of joint prudence so as to consider liberal democracy in terms of a community of individuals who

Patch 1,2 and 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Patch 1,2 and 3 - Essay Example People are, in most cases,compelled to learn more than one language at a time, the existing knowledge of a native language affects both the pace, and level that one learns a new language. Young learners always think in their native language and relay the information in the new language. This breaks a number of semantic rules governing the use of the new language and if not corrected in time, its effect may last to affect how he or she uses the new language. Additionally, the teacher of the new language and his native language influences the manner in which their students learn the new language. In the Western world, students of new language always seek the services of a native speaker of the new language or travel to a country of the new language to learn. In the developing world, students learn second hand languages taught by fellow natives. The teachers therefore break a number of rules and pass the broken languages to their students. This explains why the English spoken in a numbe r of African countries is either pronounced differently or infused will local pidgins. The student in the case study suffers from the influence of mother tongue too. From the way he writes, it is clear that he is not an English native speaker. French sounds like English in a number of ways, some of the French words sound and mean the same to other English words. However, the greatest difference between English and French is the French attach gender to most of its words and sentences. From the write up, it is evident that the writer is trying to keep up with the English language requirements but because he keeps thinking in French, he finds himself attaching a gender to some of the English words. A remedy to this is constant practice and the ability to detach from the use of a native language while learning a different language. It is never possible to abolish the use of the first language especially when learning another but learners need concentrate on the new language and use the semantic rules of the new language. This way, they minimize the number of grammatical mistakes they make on the new language. This also makes the learning a lot faster. Another key factor that affects a learner’s ability to learn and use a new language is age. This factor is debatable but most scholars concur that young learners usually master the rules of a new language faster than older learners do. In young age, people are not preoccupied with other businesses, as is the case in old age. Children will therefore concentrate more on the new language and master it faster. Additionally, this has also contributed to the fact that children interact more with their peers than adults do. It is in these interactions that they learn from their colleagues the new language and the rules that govern the usage of the new language. Despite the faster speed of learning a language at a younger age, it is also evident that young learners have a tendency of forgetting a language that they do not use faster. There is no remedy to this apart from continuous practice and the usage of the multiple languages one learned. The writer in this case is an adult learner. His age is best determined based on the issues he addresses in his article. Some of the themes he struggles to raise are those that children cannot possibly comprehend. Writing is different from speaking.

Formative Writing †Slumdog Millionaire Essay Example for Free

Formative Writing – Slumdog Millionaire Essay The film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ by British born director Danny Boyle, gives a particular insight into life in India, and more specifically the city of Mumbai through the use of setting. It is this cultural backdrop presented through the perspective of foreigner that not only makes the film special, but also sparked a lot of debate whether the image revealed is an accurate portrayal of India. The film attempts to show the shocking and disturbing realities that occur in India, including poverty, injustice, slums, gang culture and prostitution. An example of one of these realities being depicted is in the scene where Jamal and Salim have been captured by the gangster Maman who plans to blind Jamal in order to make him a profitable beggar as he will evoke more sympathy if blind. The setting of the scene is outside a remote building where the gangsters keep the children at night. These children are placed away from the rest of civilisation showing how they are unwanted and are outsiders. The lighting is minimal making it dark, eerie and scary which is also coupled with fast pace camera shots which are predominantly close-ups on things such as the acid, Maman’s face and one of his accomplices cracking his knuckles. All of these features work together in order to create an intimidating impression on the viewer as we don’t get the full perspective echoing how the children are being tricked and deceived. Salim watches one of the boys eyes being burned yet the viewer doesn’t get to see this, instead the horror is echoed through Salim’s physical reaction as he vomits. It appears that the director wants to shock the audience and present the horrors present in Indian culture, yet he doesn’t show it physically being done, creating a barrier which shields the western audience at all times. Maman asks Salim whether he wants ‘the life of a Slumdog or a man?’ This gives the impression that all Indian men should want to be and are like Maman who is evil and corrupt, giving a negative representation of men in India.

The Effect of Legal and Illegal Immigrants in the United States :: Immigration Cause Effect Essays

For many years the United States of America has been held by many to be the land of opportunity where everyone can achieve their dreams. Like in any area of the world the immigration and migration of people both legally and illegally shapes our country’s population and the economy. In the United States there are millions of illegal immigrants that struggle to find a way to live and then there are the legal foreign-born individuals that abide by our laws and still struggle to get by. A great deal of the population growth we have seen in the past and will see in the future is due to the immigration of foreign people into this land. As one studies our nation he can see there are many differences between the status and living conditions of natives and foreign-born population. There are many migrant workers that come into this country every year to work in the farms and industries that offer seasonal work with little pay. In light of the recent terrorist acts against this country t he immigration laws and border patrols are coming under greater scrutiny. Immigrants and Their Place in our Population There are all kinds of immigrants in the United States and they have different kinds of statuses. First of all there are legal immigrants that were foreign born but have become citizens of the United States. There are also people who come into the country legally and are given permission to live here permanently but are not naturalized citizens because they have either never applied for citizenship or do not meet a requirement for citizenship. We also have those who come here legally to stay for a set amount of time for things such as education, or work. On the other end of the spectrum are the millions of illegal immigrants that sneak into our country hoping to find asylum and a better way of life. As is apparent in any area that receives immigrants the influx of new people has an effect on population size and diversity. The Department of Labor expects the population of the United States to grow by around fifty percent over the next fifty years. They also say that immigration will have the biggest role in growth through mid-century and that other changes come only because of birth rate and death rates. We are to expect around 820,000 immigrants to arrive in our country every year not including those who come illegally.

Salem Witch Trials

What Caused the Salem Witch Trial Hysteria? 1692 was a year packed with excitement and terror for the citizens of Salem, Massachusetts. Belief and accusations of people being witches/warlocks under the possession of the Devil swept across the town and wreaked havoc among its settlers. There are many possible ways to justify this madness. However, the 3 most valid and evidential reasons are: attention-seeking, jealousy (of one another and the amount of land owned), and lack of acceptance towards each other’s physical flaws and behaviors.Attention-seeking is bound to become an issue in a town such as Salem, merely due to the daily, mundane activities one must pursue in order to live properly. Document G states, â€Å"It was perhaps their original design to gratify a love of notoriety or of mischief by creating†¦ excitement in their neighborhood. † This quote is relating to the behaviors that people were displaying which made them a suspect.Document H revolves around the idea that maybe these young girls were acting out and faking the â€Å"convulsive attacks† that were believed to be evidence in order to give the public what they expected, or wanted. These young girls created an issue much larger than they’d planned to. They most likely were just trying to make themselves known and didn’t understand the impact that their actions would have on the vulnerable minds of their town. Although attention-seeking seems to play the most obvious role in the hysteria, jealousy was also a major contributor.Land ownership was a big deal in this time period (15th century), and the division between the farmers’ and the residents’ amount of property became a cause for vengeance (Document J). Documents K & L are perfect examples of people feeling the need for revenge. The Putnams must have believed that Rebecca Nurse did them terribly wrong when her family took over some of their land, so (as one of the wealthiest families in S alem); they used their word against hers by accusing her to be witch.They probably wouldn’t have done so if they did not genuinely believe she had something more than they had or she did something to personally attack them. This kind of resentment towards one another must’ve became a common issue in Salem, for it seems that many accusations came from people being jealous of each other. Along with jealousy, unacceptance and judgment of people’s features and behaviors became a leading cause for someone to be called a witch. Document E uses statistics to show that a majority of the accused were middle-aged, married women.This document’s information alone gives clues related to sexism and discrimination of age and marital status. In Document M, Linda Caporael suggests that Ergotism, an illness caused by a parasitic fungus called â€Å"ergot,† caused people to hallucinate, become delirious, and go through manic episodes. Perhaps these symptoms were misj udged to be evidence that someone was possessed. Or perhaps the people who ate and retracted the sickness from the food contaminated with ergot were the accusers, and they simply weren’t in their â€Å"right mind. In any event, there was a massive amount of judgment and lack of acceptance to one another, and this played a key role in the chaos of the Witch Trials. Accusations of witchcraft and possession put a scare and a drive to defeat into the citizens of Salem, Massachusetts that year. 20 people were killed, and more than 100 people were accused. There’s a multitude of different explanations as to why. All in all, though, the whole thing could have been avoided if it weren’t for people’s desire for attention, envy, and judgmental mindsets.

Instances of Free Will in Antigone by Sophocles Essay

? Free will is a gift given to man to remain in control of their lives; our fate and destiny are determined by our free will and the decisions we make. In the play Antigone, written by Sophocles Antigone demonstrates her free will when she decides to bury her brother, directly defying Creon’s law. As a result of this defiance her fate was suicide. The choice she made functions as a exercise of free will because she considered the consequences and defied Creon anyway, that defiance sealed her fate. Antigone clearly controlled her fate through free will. However this is not always the case in A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich written by Alexandr Solzhenistyn, Ivan has little to no free will because he does not make his own choices, his fate is controlled by others. Free will is a term used to describe a course of action you would take among various alternatives. Philosophers argue that the concept of free will is closely connected to the concept of moral responsibility. Acting with free will is to satisfy the requirements of being responsible for one’s actions. Antigone bury’s her brother Polyneices because she believes it is her Moral duty to do so, as he is her brother and everyone deserves a proper burial. Antigone’s free will is to act upon this moral responsibility in which she feels she is obligated to do. Our fate is not determined by us but a much more powerful force. Fate â€Å"is an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end. † According to the Webster dictionary. In the book A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich Ivan’s fate is inevitable, he is no longer in control of his life after being sentenced to 10 years in the Soviet Gulag system. In the camp Ivan is forced to live under very strict rule and if he disobeys the regulations he can be killed. Clearly Ivan has no control over his life and is forced to live a certain way in order to stay alive. Antigony goes against Creon’s law that forbade anyone to bury polyneices, her brother. Breaking of Creon’s law will result in death. Knowing the consequences Antigone bury’s her brother regardless, having guard over his body. Antigone was caught burying Polyneices and brought to Creon where she faced death. Antigone made the decision to bury her brother. This act was not forced upon her by anyone but her own morals. She determined her fate through free will. Though she knew the consequences she made the decision that she did which sealed her fate, because she knew she would die if she buried her brother. Antigone would rather die than not let her brother be buried. â€Å"And if I have to die for this pure crime,/ I am content, for I shall rest beside him;/ His love will answer mine† (lines 72-74). This quote demonstrates how Antigone makes the decision that she does knowing she will die. She is content with the idea of dying if it means her brother will get a proper burial. Antigone is pursuing her fate by burying her brother. Antigone is not looking at it as death she has a different approach to things than others, for example her sister. This approach makes her fearless, she does not see dying necessarily as a bad thing but simply the price she will pay for burying her brother. This fearlessness in her makes it so she can confidently make the decision that she does, excepting the fact that it will result to her death. Not only does Antigone decide her fate by burying her brother but she also chooses when and how she dies. Creon had planned to kill her anyway, but with her own free will she pursues her death in the fashion that she so chooses. Antigone hangs herself with the red and gold cord of her robe. Her decision to do this is her own free will. Antigone could have ignored this option and let her fate control how she dies, by either being stoned, or perhaps Creon deciding to set her free. We will never know what Antigone’s fate would have been if she did not kill herself, she deprived us of what could have happened by making her own rash decision. Antigone believes she has the right to live the way she wants, she is controlling her fate by deciding how she dies. A contrasting example comes from the book A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich. The main character Ivan does not have free will. Ivan was charged with being a German spy and therefore sentenced to 10 years in the Gulag. Ivan knows he is not a German spy, however he has no control over his sentencing and is forced to serve the 10 years. Ivan no longer controls how he lives, he lives by a strict life style created by the guards of the camp. â€Å"In camp the squad leader is everything: a good one will give you a second life; a bad one will put you in your coffin. † (pg. 36) This quote illustrates how much Ivan and other prisoners lives are determined for them. He says that your squad leader determines weather or not you live. In these camps life were cruel not only because of harsh conditions but the fact that others determined your fate, whether you lived or died. Theses prisoners have very little control over their own life, they no longer worry about simple decisions, the concerns of the prisoners is who will be the one to decide their fate. Even though, the prisoners destiny is pre-determined based upon the harsh circumstances they are forced to live by, they can still make small unnoticeable decisions to maintain sanity in their life. These small choices they make are their free will. For instance, Ivan takes his hat off every time he eats a meal despite the fact that it is below freezing. Ivan has always removes his hat before eating long before he was sentenced to the Gulag, he feels he must continue this tradition as a sign of respect. Ivan is making this small decision on his own in a place that is filled with decisions that are made for you. Ivan wants to keep the little dignity he has left and by doing so he takes off his hat when he eats. This represents that no matter how confined a human is they will still find ways to pursue their own lifestyle. Ivan find this morally just to take off his hat when he eats, he is making that decision based off of free will. Because he makes this decision it greatly affects Ivan’s attitude towards things, because this small tradtion shows he has taken a piece of his ordinary life and continued that practice in somewhere as horrible as the Gulag. Ivan’s free will is to be able to take his hat off when eating. Finally, this essay shows how in the play Antigone and the book A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich, both of the main characters in these two pieces of literature find ways to control their fate. In Antigones case she bury’s her brother, for she believes that it is her moral responsibility. Ivan takes control over his free will by taking off his hat when he eats. Antigone’s fate is determined by her free will to defy Creon. Ivan is not in control of his own fate, therefore he must find small ways to remain in control as much as possible of his life.

Free Essays on Persian Gulf War

There are three basic causes to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. First, Iraq had long considered Kuwait to be a part of Iraq. This claim led to several confrontations over the years (see below), and continued hostility. Also, it can be argued that with Saddam Hussein's attempted invasion of Iran defeated, he sought easier conquests against his weak southern neighbors. Second, rich deposits of oil straddled the ill-defined border and Iraq constantly claimed that Kuwaiti oil rigs were illegally tapping into Iraqi oil fields. Middle Eastern deserts make border delineation difficult and this has caused many conflicts in the region. Finally, the fallout from the First Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Iran strained relations between Baghdad and Kuwait. This war began with an Iraqi invasion of Iran and degenerated into a bloody form of trench warfare as the Iranians slowly drove Saddam Hussein's armies back into Iraq. Kuwait and many other Arab nations supported Iraq against the Islamic Revolutionary government of Iran, fearful that Saddam's defeat could herald a wave of Iranian-inspired revolution throughout the Arab world. Following the end of the war, relations between Iraq and Kuwait deteriorated; with a lack of gratitude from the Baghdad government for help in the war and the reawakening of old issues regarding the border and Kuwaiti sovereignty. Iraq-Kuwait Relations Prior to the 1990 Invasion. 1961- Iraq (President Qasim) threatens Kuwait, invoking old Ottoman claims. Britain supports Kuwait and Iraq backs down. 1973, March- Iraq occupies as-Samitah, a border post on Kuwait-Iraq border. Dispute began when Iraq demanded the right to occupy the Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and Warbah. Saudi Arabia and the Arab League convinced Iraq to withdraw. 1980-1988- Kuwait supports Iraq in the First Persian Gulf War with Iran. On August 2nd, 1990 Iraqi military forces invaded and occupied the small Arab state of Kuwait. The order was gi... Free Essays on Persian Gulf War Free Essays on Persian Gulf War There are three basic causes to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. First, Iraq had long considered Kuwait to be a part of Iraq. This claim led to several confrontations over the years (see below), and continued hostility. Also, it can be argued that with Saddam Hussein's attempted invasion of Iran defeated, he sought easier conquests against his weak southern neighbors. Second, rich deposits of oil straddled the ill-defined border and Iraq constantly claimed that Kuwaiti oil rigs were illegally tapping into Iraqi oil fields. Middle Eastern deserts make border delineation difficult and this has caused many conflicts in the region. Finally, the fallout from the First Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Iran strained relations between Baghdad and Kuwait. This war began with an Iraqi invasion of Iran and degenerated into a bloody form of trench warfare as the Iranians slowly drove Saddam Hussein's armies back into Iraq. Kuwait and many other Arab nations supported Iraq against the Islamic Revolutionary government of Iran, fearful that Saddam's defeat could herald a wave of Iranian-inspired revolution throughout the Arab world. Following the end of the war, relations between Iraq and Kuwait deteriorated; with a lack of gratitude from the Baghdad government for help in the war and the reawakening of old issues regarding the border and Kuwaiti sovereignty. Iraq-Kuwait Relations Prior to the 1990 Invasion. 1961- Iraq (President Qasim) threatens Kuwait, invoking old Ottoman claims. Britain supports Kuwait and Iraq backs down. 1973, March- Iraq occupies as-Samitah, a border post on Kuwait-Iraq border. Dispute began when Iraq demanded the right to occupy the Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and Warbah. Saudi Arabia and the Arab League convinced Iraq to withdraw. 1980-1988- Kuwait supports Iraq in the First Persian Gulf War with Iran. On August 2nd, 1990 Iraqi military forces invaded and occupied the small Arab state of Kuwait. The order was gi... Free Essays on Persian Gulf War CASE STUDY THE PERSIAN GULF WAR AND UN INVOLVEMENT The jubilation caused by the drawing down of the Cold War was dramatically overshadowed when Iraq invaded the nation of Kuwait on August 2nd 1990. Iraqi control of Kuwait and the danger it posed to Saudi Arabia and the smaller Gulf states threatened a vital American interest, because the United States and the West in general, remained dependent on this region for much of its oil supplies. President Bush strongly condemned the Iraqi action and called for Iraq's immediate and unconditional withdrawal. An emergency session of the UN Security Council voted unanimously to condemn Iraq, urge a cease-fire and demand the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait. When Iraq did not comply with the resolution the Council reiterated the inherent right of self-defence and called for economic sanctions to be applied to Iraq (resolution 661, 6 Aug 1990). In response to this, Iraq announced the occupation of Kuwait and ordered the closing of all embassies in the country, and began taking US and British citizens in Kuwait hostage. Following the steps articulated in the UN charter the Security Council authorised naval ships in the Persian Gulf to use, 'such measures...as may be necessary under the authority of the security Council'# to enforce the sanctions. On August 8, President Bush went on national television to announce the deployment of US troops to the Middle East. The president then worked to assemble one of the most extraordinary military and political coalitions of modern times, with military forces from Asia, Europe and Africa, as well as the Middle East. Bush knew that he must get as many allied countries on his side if he had any chance of winning this battle. However, Bush had to act in an extremely diplomatic way since the future of world oil supply hung greatly in the balance of his actions. In the days and weeks following the invasion, the UN Security Council...

Derivative Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Derivative Markets - Essay Example There are several limitations in the price of future contracts and it is ensured by future arbitrage. The existence of price limits help to minimise the instability of prices by defending organizations against market overreaction. However, price limit can also make future contracts less liquid. Future arbitrage makes future contracts more valuable. Arbitrage generates a strong connection among the futures and commercial values (New York University, n.d.). Limit of arbitrage is significant for behavioural descriptions of irregularities and wider revision of asset valuation. Limit of future arbitrage is a portion of finance plan to clarify variances based on investors’ emotional prejudices. Arbitrageurs can face the following price limitations: Fundamental and non-fundamental risks Short-selling costs Leverage and margin constraints Constraints on equity capital Thus, the above statement 2 is true i.e. there are some defined limitations in future arbitrage in pricing future cont racts (Gromb & Vayanos, 2010). Statement 3 â€Å"A swap contract can create a win/win situation for two swap players plus the financial intermediary arranging the swap† The interest rate swap is a derivative to interchange interest rate for accomplishing lesser borrowing rates. Swap players can change interest rate from static to floating and vice versa. Swapping is beneficial when one player desires to get an amount with a floating interest rate while other player wishes for preventing future risks by getting a static interest rate in its place. In swapping, both players have their own primacies and desires, thus it (swapping) can create win/win situation for them... This essay states that in recent times, the world has converted into an uncertain place for financial organisations. Fluctuations in interest rates have extended, and stock markets are running through growing unpredictability. As a consequence of these variations, the financial organisations have happened to be more anxious about minimising the risks. As the demand for risk reduction techniques has enlarged, it has generated innovative financial tools named financial derivatives. These tools are very convenient in minimising the risks and help financial organisations to hedge. Hedging is a method which is used by financial organisations to counteract the regular risks of price variations. It is considered as important risk managing instrument for portfolio managers, bank executives and corporate accountants. In any derivative contract, the seller comes to an agreement to provide asset at a particular period in future and purchaser approves to pay fixed value for that asset. One can b uild a clean arbitrage if the future contract is mispriced. Majority of future contracts are priced according to arbitrage. In derivative contract, organisations need to choose investments which can provide good return with estimated price measures. It is also termed as speculation. Speculation is a procedure used in finance for securing profit from riskier investments, but it does not ensure security on investment or principal amount. Speculators use several approaches to make a decision prior to obtaining additional risks through investment.

Teenage Sex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teenage Sex - Essay Example Upon gathering related research articles from the UAH-Salmon Library, the moral, ethical, health, and social issues related to teenage sex will be tackled in details. Eventually, significant ways on how my cultural background and the place where I grew up affect my attitude and values regarding teenage sex will be provided in this study. Prior to conclusion, the pros and cons of incorporating sex education in the school system will be thoroughly discussed. Morality means that the act of a person should not go against religion which could lead a person to experience â€Å"defilement†, â€Å"sin†, and â€Å"guilt† (Farley, 2006, p. 175). In relation to morality, ethics is a moral philosophy which is commonly used when judging whether or not a specific human action is classified as moral or immoral. Religions like Catholics, Protestant, and Jewish acknowledges that the act of making love should be done within the context of marriage (between the husband and wife). Therefore, it is immoral and unethical for high school students to engage themselves in teenage sex. Teenage sex is a serious socio-economic problem because the act of engaging in sexual activities at an early age could lead to unplanned pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy is one of the most common reasons why a young woman would drop out from school (The National Campaign, 2010). Because of the tight competition in the labor market, there is a strong possibility that a pregnant teenager who is not able to finish school will have more difficulty finding a decent job. Therefore, teenage pregnancy could lead to serious economic problems after a teenage mother gives birth. In relation to unprotected teenage sexual activity, the health of the mother is compromised because of the increased risk of becoming infected with sexually transmitted diseases like HIV, Gonorrhea and Chlamydia. Almost all teenage women who become